WEBVTT ARI HAIT SPOKE TO ONE OF THEORGANIZERS OF THE EVENT ANDJOINS US LIVE FROM LAKE WORTH.ARI?AR THAT EVENT WAS SUPPOSED TOTAKE PLACE HERE IN THE LAKEWORTH LAGOON.THE WATER QUALITY HERE IS REALLYNOT THAT BAD, BUT EVEN AT LOWRISK WAS ENOUGH FOR THEM TOCANCEL THE RACE.THE EVENT ITSELF IS NOTCANCELED, THAT IS WHY THEY'REANY GOT HIS CARS THE CITY GREATAMERIC RAFT RACE CELEBRATIONIS ON, JUST NOT IN THEINTRACOASTAL.THE PARTY CONTINUED THURSDAYNIGHT IN LAKE WORTH, IT'S THEGREAT AMERICAN RAFT RACECELEBRATION, A WEEK LONG EVENTTHAT, FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS, HASENDED WITH THE RAFT RACE IN THELAKE WORTH LAGOON.BUT NOT THIS YEAR.THIS YEAR, THE PARTY GOES ON BUTTHEY HAD TO CANCEL THE RACEBECAUSE OF HEALTH CONCERNSCAUSED BY ALGAE IN THE WATER. WE FELT THAT WAS JUST TOOMUCH OF AN UNACCEPTABLE RISK TOTHE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OURNEIGHBORS.ARI: EVERY DAY, THE ALGAEPROBLEM SEEMS TO GET WORSE.NOW, FEDERAL OFFICIALS AREWEIGHING IN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCEOF GETTING IT UNDER CONTROL. NOT ONLY FOR THE HEALTH ANDSAFETY BUT ALSO THE ECONOMY.ARI: SENATOR BILL NELSON TOUREDTHE ALGAE COVERED WATERS ON THETREASURE COAST THURSDAYAFTERNOO>> I'M TRYING EVERYTHING,BECAUSE THIS OLD FLORIDA BOKNOWS WHAT ALGAE DOES TO ARIVER.IT BECOMES A DEAD RIVER. ARI: NELSON ENDED HIS TOUR BYURGING THE ARMY CORPS OFENGINEERS TO STOP RELEASINGWATER FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE INTTHE TREASURE COAST WATERS.THE ARMY CORPS DID REDUCE THEFLOWS ON THURSDAY.MEANWHILE, GOVERNOR RICK SCOTTWAS NOT IMPRESSED WITH NELSON'SVISIT.HIS COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORRELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING, INPART, IT WOULD BE NICE IF NELSONWOULD HAVE SPENT TIME TO GETFUNDING TO FIX THE FEDERALLYOPERATED HERBERT HOOVER DIKE.THE DETERIORATION OF THE DIKE ISTHE REASON WATER MUST BERELEASED FROM LAKE OKEECHOBEE,THE REASON, MOST BELIEVE, WHYTOXIC ALGAE BLOOMS ARE MAKINGOUR WATERS UNSAFE.WHICH BRINGS US BACK TO LAKEWORTH AND THE CANCELED RARACE.THESE FOLKS WILL TELL YOU THEIRCELEBRATION STILL INCLUDES APOOL PARTY AND A PARADE ANDCANCELING THE RACE MAY NOT BE ABAD THING. IF WE ARE HAVING TO LOSE OURRAFT RACE DRAWS ATTENTION TOWHAT IS GOING ON IN THEINTRACOASTAL THAT WE ARE VERYHAPPY ABOUT IT.AR FEDERAL OFFICIALS WILLCONTINUE TO COME TO OUR REGIONABOUT THIS.TOMORROW, SENATOR MARCO RUBIO IS